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LAHO History

During the summer of 1989 Steve Leon, Director of University Housing and Terry Passman Assistant Director invited a small group of Housing Directors to meet on Southeasterns campus and discuss the formation of a state association for University Housing Officers. LAHO was born! Attending the meeting were Dottie Brooks Northeast Louisiana University (Monroe); Margaret Vinti University of New Orleans; Renee Nesbitt Louisiana State University and Steve Leon and Terry Passman Southeastern. Over the following years this group continued to grow to include nearly every college in the state that had campus housing. The group used opportunities at both LACUSPA and SEAHO to continue to formulate the organization. Housing administrators visited each others campus and benchmarked best practices at each school. Numerous policies and procedures were streamlined and/or changed as a result of meetings and visits. The group came to rely on each other to resolve numerous challenges. Early on one common thread at every meeting was the need for more training with student hall staff. It was with this idea that the concept of a state wide training workshop would come to light. It was decided that a student conference in the late Spring would be best in order to prepare students for the fall semester and that all campus leaders would be invited, many of the leadership skills needed by Resident Assistants could be transferred to most student leadership positions. It was also decided that a central location be chosen, and the facility would be within everyone’s budget. The first RA training conference was held March 5&6, 1993 at Camp Maryhill Renewal Center in Pineville, Louisiana. Our Host at Maryhill was Sister Ann LaCour. Brit Katz, Northeast La. University Chaired the inaugural LA Rainbow conference for 104 Resident Assistants and numerous housing administrators and speakers from around the state.

Participants included Steve Leon, Southeastern; Terry Passman, Southeastern; Dottie Brooks, Northeast; Dr. Bob Bowman, Northeast; Marian Griffin, Southern; Margaret Vinti, UNO; Huey Gardner, UNO; Darren Lynn, UNO; Harold Boute, Northwestern; Tracie Najolia, Northwestern; Joy Jeffers, Centenary; Peggy Young, Centenary; Renee Nesbitt, LSU; Janie Brown, LSU and others. Dottie Brooks served as President and Awards Chairperson Steve Leon served as Program Chair Morris Welch was Past President Janie Brown was Hospitality Chair Peggy Young was Registration Chair Each Chairperson received a special plaque and recognition at the banquet. The awards banquet was held in a tiny dining hall. Award winners included: – Program of the Year – LSU, Baton Rouge for "Haunted Mansion" – Staff Development Program of the Year – Loyola Univ for "Cultural Diversity Workshop" – LAHO Distinguished Service Award – Renee Nesbitt, LSU, Baton Rouge – Kajun Kilometers Award – Southern University (bring the largest number the greatest distance) -LAHO Spirit Award – Northeast Louisiana University – Always Hallways/Hall of Fame Award – Brit Katz, Northeast Louisiana University -LAHO President's Award – Morris Welch, LSU, Baton Rouge The 1994 conference was again held at Camp Maryhill, the conference was called Radical Retreat. It was during this conference the officers decided to give the conference a permanent name Equipping Resident Assistants (ERA). Since that time, the ERA Conference has been held at Dry Creek Baptist Camp and Tall Timbers Baptist Conference Center.

Previous Leadership

President

1989 – 1990 Steve Leon,Southeastern (Chairman, no president the year of formation)